Briana (Bri) Taylor, Kelley MBA Class of 2022
Age: 29
Hometown: Plainfield, NJ
Undergraduate Institution and Major: New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), Communications and Media Major, Business Administration Minor
Pre-MBA Work Experience (years, industry): 6 Years, Project Management within various industries: publishing (for higher education and online health), pharmaceutical advertising, and most recently education technology.
Why business school? Why now?
Business school has been on my radar since my senior year of college. At NJIT, I was a BA/MBA student, which meant that I had to take four graduate-level business courses in place of four undergraduate-level electives prior to graduation. While taking those courses, it became very clear that I needed to gain more work experience, beyond my two internships, in order to stay afloat in a full-time MBA program. In hindsight, I’m so glad I waited because my vision for my future career is more clear now.
I knew it was time to revisit my goal of going to business school when I began to reach a plateau performance-wise in my previous roles. I knew going to business school would help push me over the hump from executor to strategist and impact-driver in my future roles. In addition to securing more challenging roles, I also wanted to grow as a leader and explore a few business ideas before returning to the workforce.
Why Kelley? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
When looking at MBA programs, I saw myself at a school that had small class and cohort sizes filled with diverse students, produced great marketers and consultants (I was torn between both career paths at one point), provided plenty of experiential learning opportunities, and was not located on the east coast (where I’ve spent most of my life so far). Kelley, surprisingly, checked all of those boxes for me.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2022?
My most valuable contribution is my previous experience in design and project management across multiple industries, which enables me to understand the career journeys of many of my peers and offer a unique perspective to solving complex problems.
Fun fact that didn’t get included in your application?
I love to paint. I always jump at the opportunity to attend Paint ‘n Sip events by local artists that I follow in Brooklyn, NY, where I resided prior to business school. Though I don’t paint often, I find it very relaxing when I do.
Post-MBA career interests?
I would like to return to the Tech industry as a Product Manager or Product Marketing Manager. Prior to starting my Kelley journey, I was very strategic with my latest career move. I knew I needed to either secure a promotion or explore a new industry. Over the past few years, I’ve gained an increasing interest in tech and was eager to get a taste of the industry before business school to confirm my interest.
Advice to current prospective applicants:
–One thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
I wish I could relive visiting all the schools I planned on applying to. By visiting schools, I was able to learn more about the various programs, access cultural fit, and meet a lot of amazing current students/alumni/faculty, who are now apart of my growing network.
–One thing you would change or do differently?
I wish I would have hired a GMAT tutor earlier in the process, instead of wasting thousands of dollars on self-study material and in-person prep courses. Though I spent years with self-studying and courses, I’m glad I did because it helped me discover the teaching and studying styles that work best for me.
–Part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
Things I could’ve done without? The stress and emotional rollercoaster that comes with the application process! There are so many unknowns in the process, which led to a lot of doubt for me. With every GMAT attempt, the thought “is this score good enough to get me in?” always crossed my mind. Once I was done with the GMAT, I thought the rest of the process would be less anxiety-inducing, but I was wrong. Next came essay writing, hitting “submit” on my application, landing interviews, and nailing those interviews. What helped me get through was the support of my friends/family and personal reminders that given my determination and resilience I deserved a seat in an MBA class of my choice. Also, participating in pre-MBA programs, like Forte Foundation’s MBALaunch and Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT) MBAPrep, helped me get through. The support and connections gained from both programs are unmatched.
I recommend that all prospective students who are reading this to check out my YouTube video: 7 Things I Wish I Knew Before Pursuing an MBA
What is your initial impression of Kelley’s students/culture/community?
My initial impression of the Kelley students, culture, and community is that everyone is super supportive. The first few months of business school are extremely challenging as we, first years, adjust to being back in school, handling the rigorous core, and, for most of us, settling into a new town. The Kelley community has been really helpful as my classmates and I continue to navigate through Core and I know they’ll have our backs long after we cross that stage in 2022.
One thing you have learned about Kelley that has surprised you?
The “Kelley Clap” is one thing that really surprised me. At the end of every class, we give a round of applause, not for ourselves or the faculty, but for education and showing appreciation for the learning that just took place.
Thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
I’m most anxious about work management and prioritization. During the Core at Kelley, we are given mountains of work/readings with multiple overlapping deadlines. If you don’t plan out your weeks ahead of time, it’s very easy to fall behind and end up scrambling hours before deadlines.
Thing you are most excited about in your first year?
I’m most excited to participate in the Global Business and Social Enterprise (GLOBASE) program. GLOBASE is a seven-week international consulting project, where we partner with a small business and provide solutions to their most complex problems. I can’t wait to leverage what I’ve learned in the Core and my previous experience to help a small business in need!
